


Lighting Aint What's Gonna Kill ya.

by TheBitterWriterOfBritannia



Category: Impractical Jokers
Genre: Comforting, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Quick and to the point cute, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-07 22:59:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12242310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBitterWriterOfBritannia/pseuds/TheBitterWriterOfBritannia
Summary: Sal feels predictable being afraid of lightening, but Q doesn't care. He'd rather be there comforting him then let him suffer alone.





	Lighting Aint What's Gonna Kill ya.

As soon as the first flash hit, Q's phone vibrated. There was the text from Sal telling him to be careful driving home, and then another saying watch the sky, and then _another_ asking how much longer he'd be, signing off with a repeated reminder to be careful. All Q could do was laugh and tell him to stop worrying, but he knew that wasn't going to happen-- and truth be told, Q wouldn't have him any other way, because without the neuroticism, Sal wouldn't be Sal.

He'd stepped out to pick up some cat food, to which Sal jumped on the opportunity to give him a list of groceries to pick up, and _then_ coincidentally he ran into a friend down the bread isle- so _maybe_ the texts were granted. Because Q was much later than anticipated, and because while he was out a storm had come over. Pouring down with rain and cracks of lightening breaking the pink sky as night dragged over. For Q it was nothing new, but for the other man, it was a damn chaotic mess. 

Bolts of electricity coming from the sky- _of course_ _that was terrifying_ , especially to someone like Sal who's brain worked a thousand miles a second to conjure up worst case scenarios. It wasn't like he cowers in the corner of a bedroom with a duvet over his body hiding and crying (not since he was 10 years old anyway), he's just a lot jumpier and irritable. The first time there had been a storm when Sal and Q were together, they were out in a coffee shop and it seemed there was nothing Q could do to calm him down. When they were friends it was even harder, but now he can at least hold his hand and Sal has something to squeeze through the stress.

Q thinks it's endearing how worried Sal gets, but all the same when a storm comes over he knows he needs to get to Sal as soon as possible just to be there for him. 

Driving home his phone vibrated constantly. Sal's name flashing on the adjacent seat, Q tried not to get too annoyed. He knew the younger man had the best intentions at heart. When he finally parked into the drive, he looked through the collection of texts and laughed. Apparently one of the cats had freaked out and Sal had locked himself away in the bedroom, too overwhelmed to face two fears at once.

He only tolerated the cats for Q, and they were fine when they were asleep-- Q had caught Sal stroking them a few times when they fell asleep beside him on the couch, but to deal with a skittish feline when lightening struck, that was definitely not apart of the deal when they moved in together.

Q rushed out of the pouring rain and into their house with the grocery bags, setting them on the island in the kitchen. "Sal?" He called out, already certain where he was, more doing so to alert him he was home and alive. Then he heard the cluttering of elephant footsteps, the door creaking, and the heavy galloping down the stairs before Vulcano was at the door frame of the kitchen. He looked pretty panicked, more so than usual, but trying to frown in protest. 

"Y'all good, bud?" Q asked, unloading the bag. He went to put cans in a cupboard when he saw the mess on the floor. Their bin toppled over and the remains poured over the floor, and a small track of paw prints formed with some sort of orange sauce. He raised a brow, looking back at Sal for an answer.

"One of the cats. I didn't stick around long enough to know which one."

Q rolled his eyes, picking up the trash. "You know they're as scared of the thunder as you are?"

"I'm not scared." Sal protested, taking over unloading the grocery bag as Q did the dirty work. "I'm just...cautious."

Q raised his brow looking back at Sal, grunting as he stood back up and crossed his arms. "Cautious? Of what, man? The damn lightening's outside. It aint gonna come through the roof and fry you were you stand."

Sal wished the hypothetical didn't make him a little sheepish. "It's huge bursts of electricity from the freakin' sky, Q! I think I'm entitled to a little worry on this account."

Suddenly a cat dashed in, meowing in distress and weaving between Q's legs. Brooklyn. He watched her before she finally came to a halt and stared at _nothing_ in the living room. Q didn't notice Sal took a few steps back as he went to pick her up and cradle her, stroking her behind the ear to relax her.

"Hay, sweetheart. It's okay." He kissed her lightly, looking back up at Sal. "You too, bud. It's okay."

Sal took a deep breath, playing with the hem of his shirt. "Yeah, I know."

"Really?"

"I mean," Sal shrugged, "Logically. Whatever, I've never liked lightening. Who would? Like I said, fucking bursts of electricity _from the sky_." He scoffed, avoiding Q's eyes. "I'm beat. Gonna head to bed, you coming?"

Q knew he was hiding his fear best he could, but he didn't push his anxieties to unlock and reveal. He smiled instead. "Sure, let me just settle the cats."

He rounded the three cats up and gave them some well deserved affection, something quick to eat, and left them curled up on the sofa to sleep. He knew they'd probably skitter about during the night if the thunder kept up like he suspected, but there was nothing he could do about that. They'd just have to scratch up the sofa and knock over whatever else, but he took solace in idea they knew he was upstairs if there was any real danger, and he'd be down in a flash if they needed him. 

When he went to their bedroom, the first thing he saw was a lump under the duvet and tufts of hair stuck out at the top, rolled over opposite him. Q stripped down to his boxers and climbed under the covers, and without any hesitation he pulled Sal into his body and kissed him on the shoulder. 

"Alright there, big guy?"

"Mmmph."

Q sighed, squeezing him tighter. Sal felt so tense in his arms, and then a sudden roar of thunder cracked open the heavens and he felt Sal jump and hide further down into his shoulders, all the same unintentionally backing further into Q. The older man didn't make a big deal out of it. He kept his arm around his boyfriend protectively before finally tugging him to turn over and rest on Q's chest. Sal didn't speak, but he did exactly that. He hugged Q's torso and nuzzled his face into his pecks, and Q played with the mess of hair to sooth Sal.

"You know I wouldn't let anything hurt you?" Q whispered. Sal scoffed, squeezing playfully and lifting up to look at Q suspiciously. 

"I fully believe you think that, but dude, if we're talking about the lightening, you aint got a shot!"

Q faked a hurt gasp. "I am _offended_ , Sally! Ye of such little faith. I'd kick it's fucking ass if it tried to hurt you." Then he threw his eyes up. "Not that it would. The likely hood of you being struck by lightening is like-"

"Please don't give me statistics. It don't do no good." Sal sternly told. Q nodded.

"For real though. I'll always be here to hold you." He ran his fingers through Sal's hair, leading down his face and holding up his chin, drawing him close while Sal followed, slightly hypnotised. "You aint got nothing to be scared of." He breathed out, kissing Sal sweetly. When apart, he grinned, seeing the over drawn smile plastered to the younger man's face, his dimples deep and his cheeks pronounced. What a sight, he could get drunk on the sublimity. 

"Don't I ever get too much to deal with?" Sal asked, still smiling, but his eyes cracking with the tittering self consciousness. "All the damn worries. You didn't have to be apart of this shit."

"Sure, but I wanted to. You're a head case sometimes, Vulcano! But you're my head case. That's all that matters at the end of it all."

Sal's cheeks go red- but suddenly the moment is ruined by another flash out their window and a spine rattling crackle. Sal ducks down instinctively, and his face fell a thousand miles down the spiral of paranoia. Q pulled him down against his chest again and stroked his back. The feel of Sal's tee soft on his calloused fingers, but he knows the tickle hits as if it were skin on skin.

Not everyone understood their relationship, but it made sense to them. Sal organised Q, and Q relaxed Sal, and the rest was serenity. Sal wouldn't want to be anywhere else on the worrisome nights; he loved being able to fake that he was okay for his own ego, and Q always knowing how to comfort him without fighting him. Through all the banter and fights, they had something that seemed too good to be true. Sal would suffer a thousand storms if it meant assurance he'd forever have his best friend to cherish.

Soon Sal's breathing even outs. Q felt his own eyes start to slip, and with the last of his energy he leant forward to kiss Sal on the top of his head.

"Love you." Q says, voice sleepy. Sal snuggles against him, sighing contently. 

"Yeah, back at you, man. Always." 

**Author's Note:**

> P.s. if there's anything y'all ever want, just drop a 'prompt' in the comments! I'd love some ideas and suggestions and such :)


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